Digging tooth for excating buckets



June 14, 1949. v GEORGE 2,472,892

I DIGGING TOOTH FOR EXGAVATING BUCKETS Filed Aug. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 120221251" .E EEUREB ATTYs.

June .14, 1949. R, E, GEORGE 2,472,892 I DIGGING TOOTH FOR EXCAVATING BUCKETS Filed Aug. 20; 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITS-4- INVENTOR. 7% 1255:1127" EE'EURQB ATTVS- Patented June 14, 1949,

.DIGGING TOOTH FOR EXCAVATIN G BUCKETS Robert E. George, Columbus, Ohio Application August 20, 1947, SerialNo. 769,639

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to digging teeth or rooter attachments-for excavating buckets or the like.

The object of theinventionis the provision of an improved rooter attachment of this class that is strong and durable in its construction and which comprises a tooth that is capable of bein easilyand-quickly attached to a holding member andtobe removed therefrom, and also to be reversed in position on the'holder, wherebyeither end maybe extended-forward from the holder to serve as "the working end of the tooth.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple and improved means for attaching a tooth to the holder member whereby the tooth may be easily-and quickly attached'to or removed from the holder'witheither end'forward in usable position,; or with either sideout.

The invention .is fully :described in the following specification.andseveral embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is .a fragmentary side elevation of a bucket wheel-carrying rim with buckets thereon equipped with the improved tooth; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary portion in perspective of an excavating bucket with the tooth carrying holder .of the attachment mounted thereon and with the tooth and holding finger in separated relation; Fig. .3 is a longitudinal section of the forward edge portion .of the bucket with the tooth attachment comprising the invention attached thereto and with .portions of the attachment broken away; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fragmentary edge portion of the bucket with tooth attached and showing a modified form of clamping means for the tooth and holder; Fig. 5 is a section thereof on the line 55 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with another form of means for clamping the tooth to the holder; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1! in Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front end view thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, I designates the transversely spaced rim members of an excavating wheel, 2 the customary excavating buckets attached thereto in circumferentially spaced relation there-around, as well understood in the art, and 3 the digging tooth attachment embodying the present invention and mounted on the bucket. Such attachmentcomprises a tooth holder 4 secured to the forward edge portion of the bucket by welding, bolting, or in any other suitable manner, a reversible tooth 5 mounted on the holder, and a clampingmember 6 for holdingthe tooth on the holder.

'The holder 4 is mounted on the outer surface of theforward end portion of the bucket and, in the present instance, has a centering stud 8 on its under surface projecting through a'registerin openingin the bucket, and has its forward end projecting beyond or overhanging the bucket edge and provided with a downwardly and rearwardly extending-lip 9 for hooked engagement with the bucket edge, as shown. The front edge of the bucket thus combines with the welding or other attaching means for the holder to resist a digging force applied to the tooth and holder.

The holder 4 is gradually reduced in thickness from its'front end rearwardly to provide a rearwardly declining'top'surface, and rising from the forward end portion of this surface centrally of its side edges is a boss ill, in the present instance of rectangular form in longitudinal cross section, and having a cross notch II of substantially V form in its front end and a cross notch or undercut recess H2 in its rear end. The boss has straight vertical sides and increases slightly in depth from front to rear.

The tooth '5 has a fiat body portion substantially corresponding in Width to the top surface of the holder #1 and has both ends thereof tapering from both sides to form sharp digging edges that are preferably beveled at their ends as shown. The body portion of the tooth is provided with an opening 13 of rectangular or other suitable form, corresponding to the shape of the boss it and of a size to freely receive the boss. Each end wall of the opening is of substantially V form lengthwise thereof, as shown at It, to adapt such end when forward to fit into the said V end notch l l of the boss and thus have locking engagement with the boss when disposed in the tooth opening. The opening I3 is slightly longer than the boss It to permit the rear end wall of the opening to swing down at the rear of the boss when the tooth is being mounted on the boss and the front V edge of the opening is in engagement with the front notch I l of the boss. The tooth 5 is symmetrical in shape both as to its ends and to its top and bottom surfaces so that it can be reversed on the holder both as to its ends and to its top and bottom sides to compensate for wear in use.

The rear notch l2 of the boss is deeper than the front notch H and faces, but is spaced from, the rear V wall of the tooth opening when the tooth is mounted on the holder, and such notch is adapted to receive the end of a bar-like clamping member 6, as best shown in Fig. 3. This member has a straight body portion that rests substantially flat on the outer tapered surface at the rear end of the tooth and such portion has at its forward end an inwardly angled part l5 that projects forwardly and downwardly over the top taper of the rear end wall of the tooth opening 23 and into the rear end notch [2 of the boss Ii) prying engagement with its top surface. The opposite or rear end portion l6 of the bar 6 is angled slightly upwardly from the plane of the bar body so that when the bar is drawn inward to tooth clamping position, said portion I6 is adjacent and substantially parallel to the portion of the bucket to which attached. The portion I6 is apertured to receive a clamping bolt l8 that projects into a registering hole in the bucket.

It is apparent that in clamping the tooth 5 to the holder 3, the nose portion l5 of the bar 9 is inserted downwardly and forwardly into the notch it of the boss and over the rear end portion of the tooth opening l3 so that the top edge portion of such wall serves as a fulcrum for the bar. The rear end of the bar is then placed in engagement with the bolt shank and the bolt nut is tightened to draw such end of the bar to the bucket. This applies an upward force on the top wall of the boss recess l2 and a downward force on the tooth which causes the tooth to be firmly clamped to the holder 4, as is apparent. As the rear end of the tooth is forced down on the holder, the bottom taper of the rear V end wall i l engages a complemental taper on the rear end portion of the boss l0 and is forced down such taper, thus tending to draw the front V end wall of the tooth opening into firm holding engagement with the front end notch ll of the boss. The notch I l and cooperating end wall of the tooth opening 13 are substantially complemental so that when drawn together by the clamping action, the tooth is rigidly held to the holder boss. It is also apparent that a tooth may be easily and quickly reversed or replaced by simply removing the clamping bar 6 and then replacing it after the reversed or replacement tooth has been placed on the holder.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the clamping bar 6 is replaced by a clamping bolt 28 that extends through the holder 2i at the rear end portion of its boss 22 and through an aperture in the bucket, and has its head in tapered clamping engagement with the top surface of the V-tapered rear end wall of the tooth opening. The change over the previous form is in the form of the holder and the substitution of the clamping bolt for the clamping bar 6 and its bolt I8. The boss 22 has a rearwardly and downwardly extended taper at its rear end instead of the notch l2 of the first form, and such end of the boss is provided with a recess 23 for receiving the bolt head. Also, the holder lip which abuts against the front edge of the bucket is provided with a rearward extension 24 under the bucket and this is perforated to receive the bolt 25. The holder 2| is also shown as provided with a rearward extension 25 on its top portion that is clamped to the bucket by a bolt 26.

In the form shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, the change is also in the tooth holder and the manner of clamping the tooth thereto. The holder, designated in this form as 28, may be integral with the front edge portion of the bucket 2 and the rear end of its boss 29 may be tapered as in the form shown in Fig. 5. The rear end wall taper i 4 of the tooth 5 is clamped against this taper by a locking insert 39 that is inserted into a downwardly and forwardly tapering recess 3| in the rear end of the boss 29 in bracing engagement with its walls and with its outer end bearing downward against the rear wall of the tooth opening. The insert 39 is made of flat spring metal with its insert end sprung to have an end edge contact with the lower wall recess, as at 32, and with a fulcrum edge outwardly from its inner end for engagement with the upper wall of its recess, as shown at Each tapered surface of the V end walls of the tooth opening which receive a holder boss preferably terminates at the respective tooth surface with a shoulder portion 34 that abuts the end of the insert 39 when in position to be engaged thereby. It is apparent that when the insert is forced substantially the full extent into recess 3!, its outer edge will spring down in advance of the registering shoulder 34 so that an upward releasing movement of the insert is normally preferred. To relieve the locking engagement of the insert with the holder and tooth, is merely necessary to insert a prying tool, such a bar or screw driver, into an opening 35 in the insert and to pry up on the insert with the rear top edge of the boss 29 serving as a fulcrum. This springs the outer end of the insert upward from its engagement with the shoulder 34- and forces it out of the recess.

It is apparent that in each form of the invention, a tooth 5 may be easily and quickly placed rigid clamping engagement with the holder, in one case by securing the clamping bar 6 in position as shown in Fig. 3, in another case by inserting and tightening the bolt 29 as shown in Fig. 5, and in still another case by forcing the insert 38 into the holder recess 3| and causing its outer end to down into holding engagement with the tooth shoulder 34. It is also apparent that in each case, the tooth may be positioned with either side face downward and with either sharpened or digging end forward, and that in any position, the tooth will be firmly clamped to the holder.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. A digging tooth attachment for excavating buckets or the like, comprising a holder having a tooth supporting surface with a boss projecting therefrom, a tooth having a digging nose portion of duplicate shape at each end and having a central opening for receiving said boss and permitting the tooth to rest at a side thereof on said supporting surface, the front and rear end walls of said opening being of duplicate form, said tooth being reversible both transversely and lengthwise on said holder. said end walls of the opening and the front end wall of said boss each having a V portion with that of the boss complemental to that of each of the opening end walls, with the apex line of the latter disposed centrally between the boss sides of the tooth, whereby either end wall of the opening may be interengaged with the front end wall of the tooth opening, and means engageable with the rear end portion of the boss and with the portion of the tooth at the rear thereof to hold said interengaging front portions in engagement and to hold the tooth to said Supporting surface.

2. A digging tooth attachment for excavating buckets or the like, comprising a holder having a tooth Supporting surface with a boss projecting therefrom, a tooth having a central opening for receiving the boss and having both ends and tooth sides symmetrical with respect to a center plane between said sides to permit it to be reversed end for end and top for bottom on the holder, the front end wall of said boss and each end wall of said opening being of complemental shape to have interengagement when either end of the tooth is forward, and means engageable with the rear end portion of the boss and with the portion of the tooth at the rear thereof to hold said interengaging front portions in engagement and to hold the tooth to said supporting surface.

3. A digging tooth attachment for excavating buckets or the like, comprising a holder having a tooth supporting surface with a boss projecting therefrom, a tooth having a central opening for receiving the boss and having opposed duplicate V-shaped digging ends, each end wall of said opening having a lengthwise extending protuberrear end portion of the tooth to releasably hold it in assembled engagement with the holder boss.

4. An excavating bucket having a digging tooth holder on its front end portion, said holder having a tooth supporting surface with a boss projecting therefrom, a tooth having a digging nose portion at each end and adapted to rest on said supporting surface with its forward end projecting beyond the front end of the holder, said tooth having a centrally disposed opening receiving said boss with the front end walls of the tooth opening and boss releasably interengaged, said tooth being reversible on the holder to place either end forward, said boss having a rear end recess, a pry bar inserted in said recess and having fulcrum engagement with the tooth at the rear of the boss, and means for clamping the rear end of the bar to the bucket.

ROBERT E. GEORGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,136 Moore July 10, 1923 2,113,420 Younie Apr. 5, 1938 2,118,872 Weimer May 31, 1938 2,325,991 White Aug. 3, 1943 

